Quick method of making Maida biscuits
Many are aware of moon-shaped, shiny and mouth-watering Maida biscuits. Even if you do not know of them and have not tasted them, you can try them once. You do not have to go to a bakery for them. They can be made easily at home.
Ingredients
Maida (Refined flour) one cup
Castor sugar (powered sugar) one cup
Gheeone cup
Baking soda a pinch
Method
Take the castor sugar in a bowl. Add the maida and soda and mix with the fingers. Then knead the mixture in to a pliable dough, by adding ghee from time to time. Do not use water. Prepare the dough only with ghee. The dough should be soft and without lumps. Roll out the dough like a chapatti, on a smooth surface. Cut it in to desired shapes. For example, for round biscuits, use the lid of a bottle, that has a small or medium mouth and cut the dough accordingly.
Take a wide heavy-bottomed pan (kadai). Fill it with sand up to 1/2 inch high. Place it on a gas stove and heat it on sim (low flame) for 10 mins. The sand becomes hot. Take a round plate that fits into the pan. Apply ghee to the inner surface of the plate. Arrange the Maida biscuits on the plate and place it on the sand in the pan. Now close the pan (kadai) with a lid and leave it on low flame for another 40 to 45 minutes.
Later, if you remove the lid and try to move the biscuits, you will know if they are baked or not. If the biscuits are moving and turn in to golden colour, it means they are ready. Taste a small bit of a biscuit, to see if is really cooked inside and tastes good. If you think it necessary, bake it for another 10 minutes. When ready, the maida biscuits can be preserved in an airtight container and will remain good for a week. In case you want to flavour it, place a kaju or badam in the centre of each biscuit, before placing the plate on the sand.